The poorest workers are the least protected. More often than not, prevention of occupational accidents and diseases is missing from the agenda where they work. Hazardous work takes its toll on the health of workers and on productivity. It is unacceptable that the poor must be resigned to facing disproportionate risks to their safety and health because they are poor.
South Asian countries are tackling hazards to workers, communities and the environment in the ship-breaking industry, and the ILO is working with them and other international partners to do so. We are showing that improvements can be made in working conditions and the environment in micro and small informal enterprises by low-cost investments that also raise productivity.
For many – and particularly women – their home is their workplace, and they frequently live and work in unsafe and unhealthy conditions. The ILO has shown that it is possible to introduce changes that make the home a safer and healthier place to live and work. We develop partnerships with community organizations to gain access to hard-to-reach workers. We encourage micro-entrepreneurs to organize, which enables them to articulate and act upon their occupational safety and health concerns. Empowering workers and their unions so that they can insist on safe working conditions is also essential.
The ILO’s experience of working with national and local governments and employers’ and workers’ organizations in developing countries over many years has formed and tested a comprehensive portfolio of policy tools founded on enabling communities to work their way out of poverty. These experiences and the lessons they provide contribute to a coherent approach to poverty reduction that connects on-the-ground initiatives with national and international strategies. But no amount of small, unconnected initiatives will do away with poverty. Now the challenge is to scale up these experiences and work together to integrate them fully into national and international policy. Today, scaling up is the name of the game for all international organizations.
Again, I believe this is an area in which we should all work together.
To learn more about this author, visit International Labour Organization's Website.
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